Drying device for nail polish and the like



Mar h 30, 1954 J. M. CHAMBERS DRYING DEVICE FOR NAIL POLISH AND THE LIKE Filed May 19, 1951 INVENTOR. T/czrzrze Mwzha G/mmbens BY 7 v J Patented Mar. 30, 1954 UNITED STATES ATENT ()FFICE DRYING DEVICE FOR NAIL POLISH AND THE LIKE Jeanne Marthe Chambers, Chicago, Ill. Application May 19, 1951, Serial N 0. 227,205

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a new and improved device for drying a substance such, for example, as nail polish or the like after application to the nail or nails of the digits of a limb.

The device is particularly adapted for use in beauty shops, tonsorial shops, and analogous places for drying nail polish or the like after application to the nails of the fingers of the hands. It is to be understood, however, that the invention is not limited to such use, but may be employed elsewhere as suitable or desired; also for drying a substance such, for example, as nail polish or the like after application to the nails of the toes of the feet.

In manicuring the nails according to present practice, considerable time is lost and considerable inconvenience is incurred in waiting for the liquid polish or the like commonly employed to dry after application to the nails.

One of the main objects of the present inveng scri tion and the accompanying drawing which illustra es themaiorriier of constructing and using tion is to provideadevicefor drying nail polish or the like after applicatiozTtothenails rapidly and without inconvenience; also withoutdiscom fort to the fingers or other digits.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described comprising a housing provided with a wall having one or more openings for receiving the nail bearing extremities of the fingers or other digits in combination with means for circulating streams of air through the openings, and with the openings of such size or shape as not to be completely closed but to be restricted by the digits when they are positioned in the openings, whereby to speed the movement of the air through the openings and over the nails to hasten the drying of the polish or other substance on the nails.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a device of the character described, a base extending from the housing beneath the digit receiving openings to support the arm or other limb with the digits in place in the openings.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device wherein there are open-ended tubes projecting from the wall and the digit receiving openings to provide support for the digits when they are positioned in the openings. I,

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described wherein the.

housing may, if desired, be formed of transparentglass or plastic material, or other suitable material, to permit the nail bearing extremities of the digits to be viewed during; the" drying-5 operation.

Another object of the invention to provide a device wherein the base extending from the housing beneath the digit-receiving openings may support a replaceable cushion for supporting the arm or other limb with the digits in place in the openings.

- Another object of the invention is to provide a device of the character described wherein there is a source of infra-red radiation or radiant heat for directing radiant heat upon the nails when the digits are in place in the digit-receiving openings.

' Another object of the invention is to provide an improved form of device having various features of novelty and advantages, and which is particularly characterized by its simplicity in construction, its economy in manufacture, its effectiveness in use, and its pleasing appearance.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following detailed dean illustrated em imentpf the invention. In the drawing:

trative form of device embodying the various features of the present invention, with the nailbearing extremities of the fingers of a hand in place in and restricting the finger receiving openings;

Figure 2 is a sectional view through the digitreceiving openings of the housing, taken on the line 2-2 of Figure 1 with all of the walls containing digit receiving openings in their lowered positions; and.

Figure 3 is a fragmentary perspective view showing another form of device embodying the present invention.

Referring now to the drawing, the numeral I denotes a housing the wall of which may be formed of transparent glass or plastic material or other suitable material.

The particular housing selected to illustrate the various aspects of the invention has an open front provided with three walls, 2, 3, and 4, mounted at 5 to slide selectively and separately downwardly into operative position closing the front opening and to slide upwardly into inoperative position. The wall 2, which is shown in operative position, has five openings 8, one for each of the fingers l of one hand shown at 8.

The wall 3, which is in raised or inoperative posi tion when the wall 2 or the wall 4 is in operative position, has five openings 9, one for each of the fingers of the other hand. The wall 4, which is also in inoperative position when the wall 2 or the wall 3 is in operative position, may have, for example, five openings In, one for each of the toes of one foot. There may be another wall having openings for the toes of the other foot, but it has not been deemed necessary to show such other wall for purposes of this disclosure.

It is to be understood that the device may have a single fixed wall provided, for example, with ten openings for the ten fingers (thumbs included) of both hands. There may also be separate devices for the fingers and for the toes and other modifications using one or more digit-receiving openings are contemplated within the scope of the broader aspects of the present invention.

As shown particularly in Figure 2, the walls 2', 3, and 4, are curved or otherwise shaped to conform, in general to the difierent lengths of the fingers l or other digits.

A suitable suction devic l|-such as a suction pump or fanis disposed within the housing I and is driven, for example, by a motor l2. A switch is provided at E3, and when closed, closes the circuit for the motor l2 which drives the suction device H to draw streams of air through the openings (or openings 9 or it) when walls 3 or d are in operative position). When the fingers l or other digits are not in place in the digitreceiving openings, these openings are relatively unrestricted. The openings are, however, of a size or shape so as not to be completely closed, but to be restricted by the fingers or other digits when they are positioned, for example, in the openings 5. This materially speeds the flow of air through the openings and over the nails, and, as a result, drying of the liquid polish or other substance on the nails is considerably hastened.

The suction device H may discharge the air drawn in through the digit-receiving openings from the housing I, for example, through an outlet or exhaust opening I4. Spring detent means l5, fastened to the'housing i and engageable in notches IS in the walls 2, 3, and 4, constitutes one's uitable means for holding these walls se-- lectively in their raised or inoperative positions.

The spring detent means 15 may be convenient 1y released with the fingers fromthe notch IS in any one of the walls 2, 3, and 4 for movement of such wall to its lowered or operative position. Details such as these may vary. widely.

within the scope of the present invention.

While the device II is shown and described as a suction device for drawing streams of air in through the digit-receiving openings and discharging same through the outlet or exhaust opening, it is to be understood that a device may be employed which will, for example, draw the air in through the opening [4 and discharge the same through the digit-receiving openings.

The housing I is supported on one end of a base It, and extends upwardly therefrom. The base l6, which may, for example, be formed of porcelain, wood, metal, plastic material, or any other suitable material, extends from the housing I beneath th digit receiving openings and supports the arm or other limb with the fingers or other digits in place, for example, in the openings 6 as shown in Figure 1. The base 16 may be covered by a replaceable velvet or other suitable cushion I8 to provide comfort for the hand or foot, and a pleasing and attractive appearance.

If desired, an open-ended tube 20, formed, for 1 example, integral with the inner wall 4, may project inwardly from this wall from each opening 10 to provide support for the toes or other 4 digits when they are positioned therein. These open-ended tubes 20 are not shown on the other Walls 2 and 3 because of the particular relation and mounting of the walls for sliding movement. The showing of such open-ended tubes on the wall 4 is, however, suflicient to teach the use of such open-ended tubes which obviously may be employed on the wall 4, or on a fixed wall having openings for all of any desired digits.

The walls 2, 3 and 6, are shown provided with lifting knobs 28, 29, 30 and 3!, respectively, for raising and lowering the walls individually to their different positions. With one of the walls 2, 3 01' 4 in its lowered operative position the housing I is preferably closed except at the opening I l and the digit receiving openings which may be provided with tubes as shown at 20 in Figure 2.

The modified form of device shown fragmentarily in Figure 3 is similar to the device shown in Figure 1 except that, instead of asuction device or other device for circulating air through the digit-receiving openings, such device is omitted and a source of infra-red radiation or radiant heat, indicated diagrammatically at 25, is disposed within the housing I', and directs radiant heat upon the nails 26 when the fingers 1 or other digits are in place in the digit-receiving openings. This dries the liquid polish or other substance after application of the same to the nails 26. The other parts of the device shown in Figure 3, which are similar to the parts of the device shown in Figure 1, are designated by primed reference characters corresponding to those employed in Figure 1.

It is to be understood that the source of infrared radiation or radiant heat 25 shown in Figure 3 may, if desired, be employed in combination with the suction device ll shown in Figure 1, or other device, for circulating streams of air through the digit-receiving openings.

Where ,.a. source of heat is employed as described in connection with Fig. 3, with or--with-' out suction or other air circulating means, the dryer acts to bake the polish onto the nails thus producing a lasting polish.

The device may also be in the form of an automatic coin controlled device within the scope of the present invention, as it may be set up for use at a bathing beach, (mat the other places previously mentioned, or elsewhere as desired. Where, for example, the device is coin controlled it may be arranged to be set in operation by insertion of the appropriate coin or coins.

For drying polish or the like on the nails of the toes, there may be only one opening for all of the toes of the foot instead of individual openings one for each toe as previously described.

The embodiments of the invention shown in the drawing are for illustrative purposes only,

and it is to be expressly understood that said drawing and the accompanying specification are not to be construed as a definition of the limits or scope of the. invention, reference being had to the appended claims for that purpose.

I claim:

1. A device for drying a substance after appli cation to the nails of the digits of a limb, comprising, in combination, a housing having a wall provided with a plurality of openings for receiving the nail-bearing extremities of the digits, said wall being shaped to conform in general to different lengths of digits, and means for circulat-' ing streams of air through the digit-receiving openings, such cpeningsbeing of such sizes asn'ot 5 to be completely closed but to be restricted by the digits when they are positioned in the openings, whereby to speed the movement of the air through the openings and over the nails to hasten drying of the substance on the nails.

2. A device according to claim 1 wherein there is a base extending from the housing beneath the digit-receiving openings in position to support the limb with the digits in place in the openings.

3. A device for drying a substance after application to the nails of the digits of difierent limbs, comprising, in combination, a housing having a plurality of walls provided with difierently arranged openings for receiving the nail-bearing extremities of difierent digits, means supporting said walls for movement selectively into and from operative position, and means for circulating streams of air through the digit-receiving openings in each wall when it is in operative position,

said openings being of such size as not to be com- 2 pletely closed but to be restricted by the digits when they are positioned in the openings whereby to speed the movement of the air through the openings and over the nails to hasten drying of the substance on the nails.

4. A device according to claim 3 wherein there is a base extending from the housing beneath the digit-receiving openings of the wall in operative position to support the limb with the digits in place in the openings.

JEANNE MARTHE CHAMBERS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,262,274 Fingerlin Nov. 11, 1941 2,389,822 Simmons Nov. 27, 1945 2,490,019 Elliot Dec. 6, 1949 

